Chris Read’s assertive 64 proved immaterial as Notts Outlaws slipped to defeat in their final Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture of the campaign.

Notts finished second in Group C, four points behind winners Somerset and four points shy of Durham who progress to the semi-finals as the best runners-up.

Batting first having won the toss, Lancashire finished on 248-5 and were indebted to Tom Smith for his boundary-laden 117.

Smith went on to take 4-48 to cap a fine all-round display in which he also caugh out Scott Elstone (26) off the bowling of Kyle Hogg.

Paul Horton (43) and Steven Croft (32) also made decent contributions to what proved to be a winning total for the visitors.

Ali Brown was commended by his teammates who remained on the outfield at the start of the interval to observe a presentation from Nottinghamshire Chairman Peter Wright.

Opening the batting alongside Steven Mullaney, Brown struck two fours before he was caught down the leg side off Smith who trapped Riki Wessels leg before soon after.

Darren Bravo scored a run-a-ball 62 having surpassed fifty with a pull shot for six off Hogg. Elstone had shared a 71-run partnership with Bravo before his dismissal and the game fell further from the Outlaws’ grasp when Paul Franks was caught by Steven Croft.

Read’s rally, ably supported by a responsible 25 from Graeme White, brought Notts back into contention with eight runs required from the final over. After three consecutive singles, Read went airborne but was caught at long-on before Hutton found Hogg at point. Needing four from the final ball to tie, Darren Pattinson scurried for two handing Lancashire victory by two runs.